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(No Model.) 2 sheetsshee t 1.

D. R. GOULD & P. BALDWIN.

GASKET. No. 385,707. Patented July 10, 1888.

N. PETERS, Plmm-Lnho n hcr. Washington. 04 C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. R. GOULD 817 P. BALDWIN; CASKET.

Utbmwegq. I

J Patented July 10, 1888. 2

N4 PETERS. Pholwlilhognpher, Washlqgion, D (L STATES DEMON R. GOULD AND PHILANDER BALDVIN, OF CHESTERTOXVN, NEXV YORK.

CASKET.

SEPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 385,707, dated Jaly 10, 1888.

Application filed July 5, 1887. Serial No. 243,438. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, DEMON R. GOULD and PHILANDER BALDWI citizens of the United States, residing at Chestertown, in the county of Warren and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oasle cts, of which the following is a specification.

Ourinvention relates to an improvement in caskets; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of our invention is to provide a casket in which the parts are suitablyjoined by mechanism whichis removable and readily adj usted to fit the parts ofthecask et together; and, further, to provide an inner lid which is suitably secured to the body of the casket, being provided with a glass top; and, further, to provide a removable handle or bar which is adapted to be removed from the casket when the same is lowered into the ground; and, further, to provide an overtop or outer covering which is adapted to be hinged to one side of the body of the casket and provided with an inner glass or mirror. lVe attain this object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the casket complete. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the outer cover removed, showing the manner of securing the inner lid to the body of the casket. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the casket. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the end section of the casket, showing the mannerofjoining the same. Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of one of the re movable handles or bars.

A indicates the body of the casket, having the ends B and the bottom 0, all of which are suitably provided with glass panels, both reflecting and transparent. The top of the casket is provided with an inner lid or cover, D, formed with recessed panels adapted to re ceive glass plates (1. The said top of cover D is constructed with a rim or flange, d, having a series of recesses, d", formed therein, and at regular intervals on the said flange suitable sliding bolts, E E, are secured. These sliding bolts E are constructed with elongated slots 6, and with a projecting locking end, 0, formed in the forward part of the said bolt. The top portion of the body of the casket is provided with a series of projections or small upright recessed posts, a, which are so mounted in connection with the top of the said casket that when the lid D is inserted in connection therewith the said posts will pass through the reeesses d formed in the flange d of the lid D, and when thus adjusted, and it is adapted to secure the said lid in connection with the body of the casket, the bolts E are slid into the re cessed portions of the upright posts a, and the said inner lid thus secured. The top portion of the body of the casket is formed with a re cess by means of a flange, a, the upper surface of which flange is provided with a rubber packing, a upon which the flange a of the lid D is adapted to rest and provide an airtight joint.

The top lid or outer cover, F, is of any preferred shape or ornamental configuration relative to the casket to which it is to be applied,

and is provided with depending projectionsf, extending downwardly from each side thereof, which are adapted to engage with ears formed at the sides of the casket, and through which ears f the depending projections f are inserted, and are held in hinged connection therewith by means of removable pinsf. By this means one side of the said outer lid or cover can be released by the withdrawal of the said pinsf and the lid thrown back on the other points of securement, which provide a hinged connection, therefor. If it is desired that the said outer lid be removed entirely from connection with the casket, all of the pins/" are withdrawn, and the said lid can be readily removed. The inner portion of the said lid F is provided with plate-mirrors 1", which are held in position by a cross-bar, f,

running transversely across the inner portion 9 a of the said lid. It will he understood that the satin lining and trimmings will be artistically arranged over the mirrors in such a manner that the edges thereof will be hidden from view.

The lifting bars or handles G are constructed of any ornamental form, whether of precious metal, wood, or suitable burnished material, or a combination of several metals, and have formed with each end thereof suitable securingblocks, g, which are formed with recesses therein adapted to engage with the attachingrods secured to the body of the casket, and when secured to said rods the button secured to each underside of the block 9 will be passed over the opening and prevent accidental dis connection of the said bar from the casket.

It will be understood that suitable shoulders will be formed with blocks 9, which, when raised to transport the casket,will bear against the cars securcdito the body of the casket.

The end sections, 13, of the casket A are provided with flanges b, which project inward into the body of the casket, having a series of apertures, 1), formed therein, through which angular dowelpins B are inserted, having recesses b in their under sides adjacent to the inner surfaces of the said sections, in which wedges or pins are driven, all of which is shown in detail in Fig. 5. By this means an easy connection is obtained between the parts, which may be readily adjusted at any time when desired to set up the casket rapidly.

The sides, ends, and top of the coffin or casket are composed of open recessed frames, as hereinbefore described, which are paneled with glass, metal, or other material to give the same an ornamental appearance, the panels in the top in all cases being preferably made of glass, in order that the corpse may be viewed after the coffin or casket has been hermetically sealed. The ends of the coffin or casket may be rounded or of polygonal shape, and are joined, as hereinbefore set forth. The permanent panels are all cemented to their seats from the inside, so as to render the coffin or casket air-tight, and the joints at the connections of the sides and ends are likewise cemented for the same purpose. Thus itwill be seen that an air-tight casket will be provided which will have a tendency to preserve the corpse for a greater length of time than if left open for the ingress of the atmospheric air.

The novelty and utility of our improved device being apparently obvious and appreciable, it is unnecessary to further enlarge upon the same herein.

It is obvious that many slight changes and variations in the construction and arrangement of the several parts may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from thenature and principle of our invention. 7

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1. The combination, with the casket having the ears of the handles having the recessed blocks 9 engaging between the said ears, and

the buttons securing said blocks between said ears, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the side sections and the end section of the casket, of the angular flanges or projections b,extending inwardly therefrom at the meeting edges, the angular recessed dowel-pins B, passing through apertures in said projections, and the wedges adapted to be inserted through the recesses of said dowel-pins, substantially as described.

3. In a casket, the combination of the sections having the inwardly-projccting flanges at their meeting edges, angular dowelpins inserted through said meeting flanges, and means, substantially as described, for preventing the withdrawal of the dowel-pins, substantially as specified.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto attixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

DEMON R. GOULD. PHILANDER BALDYVIN. \Vitnesses:

J OHN H. REMINGTON, MAX S. BEvINs. 

